Post Marketing Reports for April 2002

From: "raemuir" <grayvoght@y...>
Date: Mon Apr 8, 2002 3:52 pm
Subject: What's a newbie to do?
Two weeks ago today I was precribed Cipro, and after only 2 pills I
had a bunch of the customary "side effects," dizziness, joint pain,
fast heart beat, insomnia, etc etc. Basically I'm left with intense
pain in my hips, legs, and feet, some discomfort in shoulders and
arms. Simply doing my grocery shopping this morning was an ordeal.
Here I am, the author of the local mountain hiking guide, wondering if
I can make it through the canned good's section to the other end of
the store for a bag of flour.
What should I do next? I have a sympathetic doctor (of the old
school, mining camp variety), but want some advice from you old timers
before I see him. In two weeks I'll have an opportunity to visit a
fine teaching hospital (Loma Linda, in Southern California). Should I
transfer my problems there?
I've had bad drug reactions before. Is there such a thing as a
doctor who specializes in those of us who can't cope with modern
pharmacology?
Thanks to all of you for just being out there, letting me know I'm
not alone.
Marty


From: "sloop100us" <Odysseus_@o...>
Date: Thu Apr 11, 2002 6:21 pm
Subject: Levaquin Adverse Reactions
I have been taking levaquin for six days, 250mgs per day for
possible prostatitus. Here the symptoms I am having just lately.
After this list I will list other drugs I take. Adverse symptoms lately
are fatigue, somnolence, tremors, impaired coordination,
drowsiness and lack of get-up-and-go. Other drugs: for three
weekends now viagra 50mgs. 2. Switching anti-depressant
from effexor to serzone and currently taking both. 3. Drugs I am
accustomed to: Hytrin. Neurontin. Clonazapam. I am considering
that it could be 1. Levaquin. 2. Viagra 3.Switchover to Serzone. If
anyone could give me their experience I would be much obliged.



From: "carasway" <cara@s...>
Date: Tue Apr 16, 2002 2:19 am
Subject: Levaquin-adverse stomach reaction

First off, Hello, I'm new but I've read a lot of the messages and
it's plain to see that this levaquin sure can cause some agony, and
that it did for my mother, 3 weeks ago.

She took 1 levaquin (for broncitus), and 10 minutes after taking the
pill she got violently ill, and suffered great pain, especially in
her stomach, the pain went on for 3 weeks, and she finally got tired
of me begging to take her to the doctor and let me take her to the
ER, but after her experience she was so scared it would happen again.

But anyway, I told the doctor what I read in this group, that maybe
the good bacteria got destroyed along with the good and he said that
when that happens the patient has diarrea, which she didn't.

He gave her medicine called Reglan (metoclopramide)and that helped
her a great deal, and hopefully over time this pain will go away!

Good luck to all of you!

Cara

From: Jan Page <alexandria812@y...>
Date: Sat Apr 20, 2002 4:10 am
Subject: Re: [quinolones] Need to have hope....
I took cipro in 1996, I have not gotton any better.
Jan

From: "mcrowder2001" <mcrowder@p...>
Date: Mon Apr 22, 2002 10:15 am
Subject: Levaquin

As I write this I am totally consumed with the thought that my
husband will never get over this aweful reaction to this antibiotic.
I try not to get on this web site because it only depresses me and
gives me very little hope for a better day. I have never seen a man
hurt in so many places in my life. He's depressed, in pain, and
basically has nothing to look forward to. It has been 6 weeks since
his by-pass surgery and 5 since he was given Levaquin. He feels
worse now than he ever has. The doctors have given him the steroid
pack twice and now have given him Vioxx. They say that the Levaquin
has gone out of his body and this condition coundn't possibly be
related to it.

I don't know what to do or where to turn now. I think I'm just like
everyone else, I just need someone to say that it will go away!

Thanks for listening,
Michelle


From: "bhart17197" <bhart17197@a...>
Date: Tue Apr 23, 2002 2:43 pm
Subject: first time on levaquin
after four days on levaquin my left arm and hand started trembling
uncontrollably when it was positioned a certain way. this trembling
became worse when holding something (e.g. a glass of water). i have
read other experiences on this board about experiencing tremors when
taking levaquin, but do these tremors become worse when trying to
hold something in the affected hand/arm?


From: "orangecountyman2" <jeffrey_b_lee@y...>
Date: Fri Apr 26, 2002 11:02 am
Subject: Does this tendon pain go away?
I had 3 pills of 400mg of Floxin and I stop taking it because of heel
pain (achilles) and left shoulder pain. The doctor gave me another
non-Floxin antibotic.

I have been off of Floxin for about 2.5 days and the pain seems to be
going away. The right achilles is a bit ache because I drive with
it. I also started taking Magnesium [about 350mg].

Are all Floxin tendon pain problems permanent?

Thanks for any help.

From: "depthaw" <depthaw@y...>
Date: Mon Apr 29, 2002 11:58 pm
Subject: Possibly another victim......
I'm thinking I might be another one to add to the list...

Had prostatis for over a year and urologist prescribed a 6wk course
of Ofloxacin....no ADR...almost cleared it up but not quite.

Went back a couple of months later and got slapped with another
dose....however about 1wk or so in I started feeling numbness, not
total, but just lack of sensitivity. Then 2wks in I started feeling
the tingling sensation mostly in the left side but a couple of
tingles elsewhere. I stopped the meds immediately and went to an
emergency clinic the next day. Talked to my urologist and he simply
said that these side effects are a possiblity, but that the good news
is they aren't life threatening (in fact he said wait until you feel
100% and then start up again!!!....I haven't....but my prostatits
symptoms seem to have dissapeared). I had some blood tests, saw my
regular Dr., all bloodwork appeared normal. This is all in the past
2wks. Now I'm not getting the tingling sensations so much, but
different cold flashes in parts of my body and some "falling sleep in
the odd places". Some days nothing, some days more than others. It
appears to be getting progressively better, but after reading some of
the other posts in this group I'm a little nervous and scared to be
optimistic.

I must say though that this forum has set my mind at ease a
little.....my DR. is sending me to a Neurologist for an MRI, probably
to check for MS (I'm at the perfect age for signs of that to start
showing up). These symptoms are classic MS, and after reading some of
the posts it appears as though the cause is the same...the damage to
the Myelin Sheath around the Axons. However all this has scared the
crap out of me....and still is to some extent.

I'm hoping the damage is not permanent....I'm going to see a
naturopath in the next couple of days and see if I can't get some
NATURAL help on this. I've found some interesing information sifting
through all the posts.....but the long and short of it being that I
don't have any major debilitating symptoms like some of you out there
are suffering from YET..;)....

I find all this truly shocking and disturbing....however had the
Doctor said to me, OK, here are the side effects, but only 1% of the
patients suffer from them (something I was told by the Doctor
afterwards), would I still have gone for it ? Considering I've never
had any side effects to medication before, and had already passed
througha 6wk course unscathed, I'd probably have said yes.

Now of course everything has changed in terms of that perspective.
I'd be much more diligent pursuing a natual alternative to
prostatitis.

Anyway, just thought I would throw my 2c into the pot.